Chapter 13: The Beast They Must Face

After a long and exhausting journey, the recruits finally arrived at the royal palace. They were led to their sleeping quarters—a massive chamber with luxurious décor, tall windows, and giant, plush beds that looked almost too good to be true.

Darian, one of the recruits, didn't hesitate. He leaped onto one of the beds, sinking into its softness with a contented sigh.

"This is heaven…" he mumbled.

But their peace didn't last long.

Asher stood by the door with his arms crossed. "Don't get too comfortable. Training starts now."

A collective groan filled the room, but they knew there was no escaping it. They dragged themselves out of bed and followed him to the training hall.

---

The Training Hall

Selena stretched her arms and looked around. "So, where's the beast?"

Asher smirked. "What are you talking about? I'm the beast."

Everyone froze.

"Wait... what?!"

"You're joking, right? We're supposed to fight YOU?!"**

"You literally said we would be fighting a smaller weaker version "garick said while demonstrating the size of the beast he thought he would fight

Asher rolled his eyes. "I said you'd be fighting a smaller version of the beast. That means me. A dragon would kill you instantly. I, on the other hand, will just humiliate you."

He reached for his signature weapon—a glowing metallic chain.

"Alright, bring out your weapons and attack me."

Selena hesitated. "You're too strong. This isn't fair."

Asher smiled. "Don't worry, I'll make it fair. I'll keep my eyes closed, use only one hand, and I won't move from this spot. You can attack me however you want."

"Show-off," one of them muttered.

"Are you ready or not?"

They formed a circle around him and rushed in at once.

---

The Unbeatable Defense

It was a one sided total fruststion .

Every attack they attempted was instantly countered.

Asher's chain moved like a serpent, knocking away swords and spears with pinpoint precision.

A recruit tried to jump at him from above, but Asher's chain wrapped around their ankle and slammed them into the ground.

Another swung from behind—only to be tripped by Asher's chain without him even turning around.

The recruits soon realized—they couldn't even touch him.

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes.

They were panting, drenched in sweat, while Asher still stood in the exact same spot, unfazed.

"You're already tired? Pathetic," he sighed.

---

A Royal Audience

Meanwhile, in the palace, the queen and one of her closest friends watched the battle as they passed by.

Her friend, Lady Nyssa, smirked. "That guy is impressive, Your Majesty."

The Queen raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You think so?"

"Yes. He might even be able to match Lord Azura."

The Queen scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. Azura is the third-strongest in the kingdom and the ninth-strongest in the world. Some noble brat can't possibly compare."

"Okay, okay, maybe I'm overrating him. But look at him—he's skilled, powerful, and… kind of cute. Let's go say hi!"

The Queen rolled her eyes. "I have no time for such nonsense."

But before she could argue, Nyssa grabbed her arm and dragged her down to the training hall.

---

Meeting Asher

Asher had just finished training when he noticed two noblewomen approaching.

Nyssa smiled. "Hello. It's nice to meet you."

She introduced herself and the Queen, praised his fighting skills and also inquired where he learnt those trick. Asher quickly noticed the Queen's indifference.

"I don't believe Her Majesty is that interested," he commented, raising an eyebrow. "Care to tell why?"

The Queen sighed, finally speaking. "Your fighting style is similar to Lord Azura's. He fights while standing in one place, just like you. But the question is, how long would you last against him?"

Asher smirked. "How long do you think?"

Nyssa answered first. "You're strong, but I'd say… 30 seconds, at most."

"30 seconds?" Asher chuckled.

Then, he leaned forward, his voice dropping to a confident whisper.

"What if I told you that Lord Azura wouldn't last 30 seconds against me?"

The Queen immediately scowled. "Asura is a legend How dare you?! Be so arrogant after receiving a little praise"

Asher simply smiled. "No, Your Highness, it is you who is ignorant. If you don't believe me, then prove it."

For the first time, the Queen had no response. She turned on her heel and walked away, Nyssa following closely behind, still intrigued.

Selena nudged Asher. "Are you sure it's wise to provoke the royal family?"

Asher crossed his arms. "I'm not provoking them. I'm making sure they notice us. With war approaching, we need recognition. We need influence."

Selena sighed. "I hope you're right about this."

Asher smirked. "I always right."